Process of extracting zinc from its ores.



No. 791,401. I PATENTED MAY'3 0, 1905'.

A. G. BETTS.

PROCESS OF EXTRAGTING ZINC FROM ITS ORES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.20.1906.

W/TNEEEEE v //\/l/E/\/TUR 9 WMZ%% Patented May 30, 1905 PATENT OFFICE.

ANSON GARDNER BETTS, OF TROY, NEIV YORK.

PROCESS OF EXTRAQTING ZINC FROM ITS ORES- SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 791,401, dated May 30, 1905. Application filedFebruary 20, 1905. Serial No. 246,636.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ANsoN GARDNER Burrs acitizen of the United States, residing at Troy, county of Rensselaer,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Processes of Extracting Zincfrom its Ores, of which the following isa specification accompanied by drawings.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in vertical section of an apparatusby means of which I electrolytically deposit zinc from its solutions ina liquid-metal cathode. Fig. 2 of the drawings is a view in verticalsection ofare accordingly roasted before lixiviation to convert the zincinto basic sulfate or oxid. I may use any of the usual methods forextracting the zinc, as a solution of a soluble zinc salt, but preferto. use sulfuric acid in lixiviating, producing a solution of zincsulfate. I then electrolyze the solution with an insoluble anode andwith a liquid-metal cathode, preferably of mercury or mercury containingzinc. Oxygen is produced at the anodeand sulfuric acid remains in thesolubeing electrolyzed chlorin is given off at the anode.

form I remove practically all the zinc from the solution, for economicalreasons which are readily understood, and have left a solution ofsulfuric acid, which may be used in the lixiviation of a fresh amount ofore. The zincmercury alloy, containing, preferably, less than five percent. of zinc, I remove to another electrolytic cell containing asolution of a zinc salt, preferably one of zinc chlorid, into whichsolution a suitable cathode is introduced, suitably one of zinc. Themercuryzinc alloy is electrically connected as anode and an electriccurrent is passed, whereby In practicing my invention in its preferredZinc is dissolved-from the'alloy and deposited on the cathode. Themercury left after the removal of a large part of-the Zinc is returnedto go through the same process over again.

Having reference to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows a tank 1containing a layer of mercury 2 and a solution 3 of zinc sulfate orother zinc salt. An insoluble anode 4 is suspended in the solution andelectric- -ally connected by the wire 5 to a source of electric energy.An iron wire 6, surrounded by an insulating-sleeve 7, connects themercury electrically as cathode to the same source of electric energy.When the current is What I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. The process'of extracting zinc from ores which consists in extractingthe zinc therefrom as a soluble salt in solution, electrolyzing thesolution with a liquid-metal cathode for the production of a zinc alloy,and elec trolytically extracting zinc from said alloy and depositing thezinc on a suitable cathode.

.2. The process of extracting zinc from ores which consists indissolving the zinc there from as a solution of zinc sulfate,electrolyzing the solution with a liquid-metal cathode for theproduction of a zinc alloy, and electrolytically extracting zinc fromthe alloy and depositing the zinc on a suitable cathode.

3. The process of extracting zinc from ores which consists in dissolvingzinc therefrom as a solution of zinc sulfate, electrolyzing the solutionwith a mercury cathode for the production of a zinc-mercury alloy, andelectrolytically extracting zinc from the alloy and depositing the zincon a suitable cathode.

4. The process of extracting Zinc from ores In testimony whereof Ihavesigned my name whlch conslsts 1n extraetlng Zll'lC therefrom as to thisspecification in the presence of two sub- 10 a solutlon ofZylIlGSlll'fELtE, electrolyzing the soscribing witnesses.

lution with a mercury cathode for the produc- 1 V v 5 tion of azinc-mercury alloy, and extracting ANbON GARDNER BE I zinc from thealloy and depositing zinc on a Witnesses: suitable cathode byelectrolysis of a solution EDWARD F. KERN, of zinc chlorid. WILLIAMVALENTINE.

